


Personas are weird

by BooksAndDragons



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Gen, MORE CHARACTERS ADDED AS THE STORY PROGRESSES, Series of Oneshots, Slice of Life, and i need to practice their characterization, i'm really using this as a writing practice, idk if i'll give every persona a tag yet, let's be real there's lots of crack to be had about these personas
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-29
Updated: 2018-03-29
Packaged: 2019-03-29 15:06:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13929594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BooksAndDragons/pseuds/BooksAndDragons
Summary: Personas can be cute, they can be chatty, horny, shy- it's a constant wheel of personalities, and with each spin there comes a new round of shenanigans from the Phantom Thieves to deal with and/or laugh about.Sometimes it doesn't always pay to be the Wildcard.





	Personas are weird

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so while I work on some other P5 fic I've got lying around on my laptop, let's go for a series of oneshots about Personas, because why not.
> 
> Really, this is just me toying around with the writing and the persona characteristics which I figured 'why not post online?', with hope they'll develop and improve the more oneshots I write.
> 
> Think of this more akin to an introduction to the series of oneshots than a fic in itself, there's very little sustenance to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally I was gonna add way more to this, but I'm feeling impulsive so hey have a messy oneshot that I'll most likely delete/rewrite later

BANG

The shadow fell under a hit from the bullet, legs kicking frantically as it tried to regain its footing. The thing looked helpless, panicking as the team surrounded it, firearms at the ready.

“Please! Please! Let me go!!!”

Shadows always resorted to begging in the end, it was almost funny- but most certainly satisfying. Just because this vampire-moth-thing was weak, didn’t take any satisfaction out of shooting it down. The thieves wondered what their leader would demand- money? Items? The team turned to Joker.

Normally, their cool and confident leader would watch the shadows with detached amusement, arrogant in the impending victory of the Phantom Thieves, his eyes glinting in sadistic amusement, the light reflecting off his pistol, all attention on the trembling foe before him. This time, he had pocketed his gun, his eyes were wide and watching the shadow with…pity? Guilt?

“Oh, hey, hey, it’s okay. It’s okay.” Joker’s voice was soft, comforting, both hands up to settle the wriggling creature, as he cooed gently and slowly edged forward….. was Joker  _reassuring_  it?! Sure, he'd had some weird recruitment methods in the past, but this tactic was most certainly a new one.

“Um…Joker?” Mona was ignored, in favour of the downed shadow before them- who had stopped struggling, and was now gazing at Joker in fascination.

“W-who are you?” 

Joker smiled, “I’m Joker, and these are my friends.”

“F-friends? I don’t have any friends….you’re really lucky mister Joker.”

“Well, why don’t we be friends?”

The shadow looked up at Joker from its place on the floor, hope glittering in its big, innocent eyes. How was _this_ the same shadow that had been attacking them just a moment ago? And was Joker seriously going to recruit such a weak shadow?

“Y-you mean it?”

Joker grinned, “Of course, I am thou-“

“Thou art I! Yay! I’m Mothman, and now we can be best friends forever nice Mister Joker!” But, unlike the other shadows Joker had recruited over the Palaces, Mothman didn’t dissolve into a mask, and remained in his place, stuck on his back. Struggling to get up, Mothman let out a sharp cry of alarm, and Joker rushed forward.

“Aw, we’re so so sorry! Here, come on….” Joker gently pulled Mothman to his feet, as his team remained in place.

“Is it bad this is actually adorable?” Panther gushed.

Beneath his mask, Skull raised an eyebrow, “Dude, it’s a _shadow_.”

“A _cute_ shadow, though!” Panther paused and shook her head, am amused smile on her lips. “I can’t believe I just said that.”

Mothman, for his part, seemed to be basking in the attention, gently nudging against Joker’s shoulder, despite being slightly taller than him. As Joker looked up, he noticed the watery gaze his new persona was fixating on him, grateful and happy and content-

He didn’t waste a moment in pulling the mothlike-shadow into a hug. Panther and Skull brought their conversation to a halt.

Skull had to admit defeat. It _was_ an adorable sight.

The normally powerful, poised figure of Joker sunk into the soft fluff of the shadow- no, _persona’s_ \- torso. The Moth, for his part, seemed to be trying to bend his wings inwards, in an attempt to reciprocate the hug, but instead settled with gently nuzzling the fluffy head of Joker’s hair, atop his head his antennas curved inwards, forming the shape of a heart. They shared a content smile.

“Now this is positively _precious_.” When their personas had arrived, the wielders couldn’t say, but they couldn’t help but share Milady’s sentiment.

“Sure, it’s cute, but what if a shadow arrived?!” Mona snapped, staring adamantly away from the pair, if you looked close enough you’d notice how his ears had drooped. Zorro stared down at his feline wielder, and chuckled to himself.

“Relax Mona, Nekkie and I have the whole place on cam, they’ll pop up on the radar if they get close.” Oracle rolled her eyes, before grinning, “Besides, seeing something as cute as this is wayyy more important. I’ve already got pics.”

The team would ask _how_ Oracle was able to take pictures in the Metaverse, but it was Oracle. Of course she could. And maybe they’d leave it be- if they all get a copy of her most recent snap.

Firmly, something prodded at Joker in the back of his mind, and with a great sigh he pulled back slightly. In response, Mothman let out another cry of alarm.

“No, no, come on don’t be like that. My team are right, we should get somewhere safe.” Joker cooed, _cooed_ , as he gently ran a hand over Mothman’s fuzzy head.

Seeing Joker act so affectionate- so _maternal_ \- was a striking contrast to the usual composed, withdrawn leader they were so accustomed to. It was sweet, it was captivating, seeing their leader cooing and doting over the young(?) shadow. And maybe they were _slightly_ envious. Only slightly though.

Mothman trilled encouragingly, attempting to nuzzle against the palm of Joker’s hand. Joker, on his part, pulled away reluctantly.

“Come on, we aren’t safe here, why don’t we get somewhere else, hm? You can join me, and we’ll all get somewhere safe- does that sound okay with you?”

Tentatively, Mothman nodded, and Akira beamed.

“See? There you are, so if I let you go, think you could transform into a mask for me?”

Mothman seemed reluctant, but the nice man was looking at him so hopefully, how could Mothman not help him? Besides, he was putting the nice man in danger right now, right? He didn’t want to see the nice man get hurt, not at all. The man was gentle, he smelled nice, he had really pretty eyes and he _liked_ Mothman. The nice man needed protecting.

Joker’s beam softened into a self-satisfied smile as, when he lifted his hand, the Mothman disappeared in a flash of blue, replaced with the ever-familiar black-and-white birdlike mask which took its place on his face. Faintly, he could make out Mothman’s chirped surprise at noticing the presence of his other personas, and hoped it could be a comfort to the persona.

“He is very attached to you, Trickster.” Johanna seemed amused as he turned to face his team, already accompanied by their own personas.

“He needs comfort.” Joker shrugged nonchalantly, “Besides, aren’t all shadows grateful when we liberate them from the power of a palace ruler?”

“Most of yer personas aren’t so….clingy, Trickster.” Captain Kidd grinned, that same troublemaking one as Skull, of mischief.

“Hey, he has a slightly younger mindset.”

“And that means Mommy Joker!” Oracle’s voice was slightly muffled due to her still monitoring the area with Necronomicon, but her enthusiastic cry carried easily.

“Exac- wait what? No! No! That doesn’t mean-“

Joker was drowned out by the laughter from his teammates and their personas, he watched them all, outraged. Always nice for your team to have your back, afterall.

“Oh ha ha. Real funny.” He rolled his eyes.

“Aw, Joker don’t be like that! You’d make an amazing mother!” Noir gushed.

“Thanks Noir- wait NO! NO! You all stop it!” Joker buried his face in his hands, hiding the flush on his cheeks.

“Aw, look, now he’s all embarrassed.” Carmen teased, and Joker peered through his hands to shoot her a sharp glare.

Luckily, Queen seemed to take pity on him.

“Come on you guys, we probably should get moving now.” She was still slightly breathless from her earlier giggling, but the support allowed Joker to slip back into leader mode, retreating from hiding behind his hands to stand firm. Ready to go.

“Queen is right, we need to move before shadows notice us.”

Fun put to an end, the others shared a resignated sigh, their personas melding back into the mask form. Queen and Joker watched as they trudged into position, forming the main and the backup parties respectively.

“Looks like the Moms formed an alliance.” Skull muttered to Panther, as the pair trudged to where the backup team were forming. Unlucky for them, Skull’s voice carried.

The rest of the team were sent back into an uproar of giggles, and Joker and Queen shared an affronted look from across the room.

“We can hear you, you know?” Joker raised an eyebrow.

“I am _not_ a Mom!” Queen gaped.

Joker nodded, “She’s right you guys,” His cool, serious tone hung heavy in the room, the giggles fell silent as they took note of Joker’s face, set with a scowl. “Queen isn’t a Mom,” The scowl stretched into an ever-familiar mischievous smirk, “She’s _the_ Mom. Team Mom!”

Queen gaped at him, as they all were sent into another round of giggles, ‘team mom’ escaping past their lips between rushed breaths and laughter.

“Joker!”

He shrugged innocently, but the effect was ruined. His eyes were alight with mirth, as he and Fox leant against each other lightly. Queen watched on as the Thieves struggled to catch their breaths, and hoped Oracle had some sense of composure to at least be keeping her eyes on the shadow radar. If they got ambushed in this state, she wondered how confused the shadows would get. A group of Phantom Thieves standing around in plain sight, supporting one another through their mindless giggling.

Gradually, the laughter died down. The grins never left their faces, but they were more focused. They could continue like this.

Evidently, Joker was in agreement, as he turned to the main party and beckoned them onward, leaving Queen to tail with the other backup members. She hoped they would reach a safe room soon, they were all evidently still a little giddy from the earlier laughing fest, and needed a place they could gather their breath before infiltrating any further.

Ahead of her, the next sealed door opened with their most recently accumulated key card.

* * *

As it happened, the next safe room have been a mere few doors and a shadow away.

The team has immediately slumped in the little stools provided. The spaceport safe rooms were far from comfortable, but it beat standing around catching their breaths.

As per the regular, it didn’t take so much as a minute for their personas to join them, lounging back in the safe room as much as they were able. The comfiest would always be Johanna and Queen, who never failed to choose sitting atop the motorcycle persona in exchange for a seat, and Carmen was a close second, using her manslaves as her own seating arrangement.

Dutifully, Akira handed out some healing items, mostly jam bread, which sat in the middle of the table to be shared out. Skull, for his part, wasted no time tearing into a piece- to which Captain Kidd found rather amusing.

“So, dude, no Mothman? Don’t that give ya Mommy anxiety?” Ryuji snickered, and the others joined in as Akira groaned.

“I thought we were done with this! Come on you guys, have mercy!”

“What say you Arsené, your wielder is finally a parent, the pride must be insurmountable.” Akira shot a dark look in the chuckling Goemon’s direction.

Personas were nothing more than enablers.

“Indeed, I do believe my wielder has excellent maternal instincts-“

“ARSENÉ!”

The other thieves were sent into another uproar of laughter.

“Even my own persona abandons me! Unbelievable!” Akira grumbled, trying to ignore Arsené’s deep, rumbling laugher at his expense.

“At least you’ll be a good parent Joker!” Haru giggled, falling back against the skirts of Milady in her mirth.

In spite of himself, Joker smiled. Seeing his team so relaxed and happy was always such a spirit lifter.

Lost in his reminisce, Akira almost didn’t notice the ebbing presence in his head. Another persona was joining the party. And if he were to guess….

“Mister Joker! You never told me you were the Trickster!”

The grin on everyone’s face make Joker want to groan, however his attention was better devoted elsewhere right now…

“Mothman! See, I told you it would all be okay.” Akira beamed, as the persona waddled closer to where he sat, perched on the floor and bumped against him lightly. Akira took the hint, and began to pet the persona, running his hands calmingly over the fuzzy fur on its head. Mothman trilled happily, and Akira _knew_ he wasn’t the only one who cooed that time.

Encouragingly, Mothman reached up to bump heads with his wielder, nuzzling lightly, and Akira laughed, reciprocating. It was a mess of fluffy head on fluffy head.

Ann’s voice was light, but it carried throughout the whole room, “Okay, I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. Those two are adorable.”

Again, the team had to agree. Both of them cuddled up against one another, Mothman trilling as Akira’s hands carted through his soft fur, their eyes were wide with contentedness. A ‘snap’ from Futaba’s direction told them she’d taken another picture.

Sadly though, that image was ruined as Ann’s voice as attracted the attention of Mothman, who turned to face her, as if just realising the presence of the other occupants in the room. Eyes flickering from person to persona wildly.

“W-who-“

“My friends. My friends. These are all my friends, Mothman. Remember? They were there when we first met, yeah?” Akira soothed, and all his teammates softened their expressions, which Mothman returned in kind- looking rather excited.

“Oooh, your friends? Can I be friends with them too? Are they like the other friends in your soul too, Trickster? And the big one with the pretty wings next to you?”

Akira couldn’t help it, he laughed. Arsené, who had been looking distinctly irritated since the arrival of Mothman, was now peering as his own wings contemplatively, a proud smirk upon his face.

“Yes, yes, they’re all friends Mothman. They’re all _our_ friends.”

Mothman was positively beaming, “R-really? Friends?”

“Yes, my dear, friends.” Milady’s voice was soft, soothing.

“Wow, I have friends…I have friends!” Mothman turned to Akira, eyes bright and his antennas at a standpoint.

“You do, you do!” Akira laughed.

“Thank you Trickster,” Mothman leaned forward, as he headbutted Akira lightly.

Akira smiled softly, pulling the overgrown Moth into a gentle hug. The persona’s fur tickled his face, but as the persona trilled happily and nuzzled him, Akira found he didn’t mind in the slightest.

One day, Akira knew he was going to have to say goodbye to Mothman- in the face of a guillotine, an electric chair, or in the hands of the gallows- but for now, he’d enjoy spending time with the childish, affectionate Moth. He’d use those medium fire skills until they’re forced into exhaust, and laugh at the exuberant attitude. He’d put up with the maternal jokes. Moments spent with his personas like this were worth it.

Mothman’s antennas curled into the shape of a heart for the second time that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe that got a little sappier than intended, but I don't really regret it sooo....
> 
> Like I said, this needed way more work doing to it. But, I've just quit something I've been doing since I was like 2 years old, I need the pick me up of posting an (albeit shitty) chapter to this series.  
> Maybe when I wake up tomorrow I'll r e g r e t and delete this chapter, maybe I'll leave it be. Who knows?
> 
> Also: next chapter planned is Mara. There will be regret. Dick jokes will stand tall and proud. I will giggle writing it because my mental age has not progressed from the age of five.

**Author's Note:**

> And that's it! As I said, very little sustenance to it. This was more of a 'outlining how this thing works' sort of fic, as opposed to one with an actual plot.
> 
> I have a Mothman one basically ready to post, after that who knows which persona I'll give a go at.
> 
> If you have a request/prompt feel free to drop it in the comments. Thank you for reading!!


End file.
